Top English productions feature at Clover Aardklop National Arts Festival

An Audience with Miss Hobhouse - written by Tony Jackman, performed by Lynita Crofford and directed by Christopher Weare, won a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown this year. It is based on the writings and experiences of Emily Hobhouse and her translation of the memoir Tant' Alie of Transvaal.

Described as a "jewel" by Die Burger, Jackman gives Emily Hobhouse another chance to have her say about the conditions in which Britain incarcerated Boer women and children during the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 to 1902.

Nick Warren's comedy Dirt, with James Cairns performing six distinct characters (and a dog), has travelled nationally and internationally with great success. It was nominated for a 2013 Artrage Award at the Fringe World Festival in Perth and was in the top 10 box office hits at the 2013 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.

Dirt tells the story of three estranged friends on their way from Joburg to Cape Town for the funeral of a fourth. Poignant and often hilarious, it offers some surprising insights into the nature of male friendships. According to the director, Jenine Collocott, Dirt is the perfect vehicle to showcase Cairns's talent. And the Cape Times agrees: "A master class in solo stagecraft."

Animal Farm meets Reservoir Dogs

The satirical The Three Little Pigs has also done the rounds. It won Best Theatre Production at the US Woordfees and received rave reviews in Perth, Edinburgh and Amsterdam.

Tara Notcutt, from The Pink Couch, directs Rob van Vuuren, Albert Pretorius and James Cairns in this show that can best be described as Animal Farm meets Reservoir Dogs. This "dark, brilliantly acted satire" was written by the company.

Rob van Vuuren (who used to be known as Twakkie in certain circles) also takes to the stage in Rob van Vuuren - Live. It is the irreverent, side-splittingly funny Standard Bank Ovation Award-winning stand-up comedy show by the 2011 Award Winner of the Comics Choice Breakthrough Act.

Writer and director Phillip Rademeyer's The View won two awards at the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival and was nominated for three Fleur du Cap Awards. It stars Gideon Lombard and Ella Gabriel.

It was inspired by a recent viral video in which an American pastor, Charles Worley, stated that gays and lesbians should be contained in separate electrified enclosures. Eventually they would die out as they would not be able to reproduce.

Theatre-goers who haven't seen these productions now have the opportunity to catch them at Clover Aardklop. The festival runs from 24 to 28 September. The programme is available at www.cloveraardklop.co.za and bookings can be made through Computicket.